Edwards making swift and steady recovery from knee surgery

The Associated Press

Published Monday, August 07, 2006

Seven months removed from major knee surgery, Braylon Edwards is feeling good and eyeing an opening day return.

The Cleveland Browns' wide receiver took part in Cleveland's team drills for the first time in training camp on Sunday. It was another strong sign of his progress for the 2005 first-round draft pick, who underwent knee surgery since Jan. 3.

Cleveland opens its season Sept. 10 against New Orleans and Edwards would like to be in the lineup.

"Possibly is definitely the word that I want to use," he said. "It feels good, we're going to do a little more every day and if the knee is ready on Sept. 10, we're going to go. The knee is feeling good, if it wasn't they wouldn't let me practice."

Edwards tore his right anterior cruciate ligament on Dec. 4 against Jacksonville and missed the final four games of his rookie season. Following surgery, doctors figured that Edwards would need about nine months of recovery time before he was back on the field.

However, a quick healer and hard worker, he needed just seven months to get back, and unless his knee starts acting up, Edwards feels there's a good chance he'll be able to play against the Saints.

Falcons

Michael Vick ran drills with the first-team offense for the Atlanta's entire practice.

The three-time Pro Bowl quarterback missed four sessions with a tweaked hamstring after pulling up and leaving a training camp workout on Tuesday.

He returned Saturday morning and participated in the brief practice later that night at Grady High Stadium in Atlanta.

Giants

Jeremy Shockey participated in team drills for the first time since he sustained a concussion while going for a pass last week.

The three-time Pro Bowl tight end rejoined the first-team offense and made two stellar catches -- a leaping grab of a 25-yard pass from Eli Manning and a sliding, juggling catch on a ball thrown by backup Tim Hasselbeck.

Vikings

Safety Tank Williams will probably miss the entire season after injuring his left kneecap during practice on Saturday.

Coach Brad Childress said that no roster move had been made yet regarding Williams, who signed with the Vikings as a free agent earlier this year after four seasons with Tennessee.

Jets

Chad Pennington showed the poise and accuracy in an intrasquad scrimmage that made him a successful quarterback before two straight shoulder operations set him back.

Pennington went 12-of-14 for 117 yards with the first-team offense. His green team won the scrimmage.